Property of the Week: 12 Evergreen St. in Southwick

With a lakeside view available from almost anywhere in the house, it might be tempting to just sit back and relax at 12 Evergreen Street in Southwick, Mass.

But then you’d be missing out on all the area has to offer.

“All year long there’s something going on around here,” owner Rick Wylot says. “It’s a very active area.”

Located off a small cove in the Middle Pond portion of Congamond Lake, the house was constructed in 1950 as a smaller cottage, but was completely rebuilt in 1996.

“In order to stay with zoning, you leave one wall up and you can rebuild the house,” says Gordon A. Fish of D.W. Fish Real Estate. “Even though technically the house is from 1950, it’s a 1996 house.”

Congamond Lake straddles both Southwick and Suffield, Conn. It consists of three ponds – North, South and Middle – but all three are connected, making it possible to take a boat around the lake, something Wylot says takes between one-and-a-half to two hours.

And unlike other lakes, there are few restrictions on what kind of boating activities are allowed. That means residents can fish, kayak, sail, jet ski, or water ski across the lake.

Two restaurants border the lake – Crabby Joe’s on one side and Louie B’s on another – inviting people to pull up their boats for dinner or a drink. On the Suffield side of the lake is Babb’s Roller Skating Rink, which hosts outdoor concerts.

The property at 12 Evergreen Street has its own boat dock, and there’s a marina on the lake as well where boaters can refuel, get repairs done, or store their boat for the winter.

Bass fishing tournaments are held year-round, says Wylot, who’s lived in the house since 2009. During the winter, he and several neighbors set up an ice hockey rink. There’s also plenty of snowmobile activity once the ice has frozen over, and there are several open fields nearby where riders can venture once they’ve circled the lake.

The eight-room, three-bedroom house has plenty of windows throughout, providing the inhabitants with spectacular views of the lake from virtually any room.

Inside, the house has a light and bright open floor plan. The kitchen, living room and dining room are all one space, allowing you to view the water while making dinner.

The kitchen also features new granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, as well as a pantry to the side that has a new washer and dryer and plenty of storage space.

Two guest rooms are upstairs, in addition to the master bedroom which has spacious cathedral ceilings. Off the master bedroom is a balcony that might have some of the best views on the lake.

“I sit up there in the morning and have my coffee and just watch the boats,” Wylot says. “It’s never the same; there's always a lot going on.”

There’s a spacious game room in the finished basement with a fireplace insert and a pool table that Wylot says comes with the house. A storage or exercise space is off to the side of the basement. The house also has a hot tub room and a one-car garage.

Congamond Lake is home to plenty of wildlife. Wylot says that a beaver swims past the house every morning and there’s the occasional loon and bald eagle sighting.

The property lies just over the Connecticut border and is only 15 minutes from Bradley International airport. It’s also within a few minutes of the Southwick Rail Trail, part of the 80-mile Farmington Canal Heritage Rail Trail that runs from New Haven, Conn. to Northampton, Mass. Also within easy access is the Metacomet Trail in Suffield, a 62.7-mile hiking trail that’s part of the newly designated New England National Scenic Trail.

Still, if you’re in the mood to just sit and relax, there are plenty of chances to do just that. The front yard features a Koi pond, while there’s plenty of room on the deck and in the backyard for grilling. Shrubs on both sides provide privacy during the summer months.

The house’s central location on the lake is actually an asset when it comes to privacy. Since the property is set back in a cove, it shields much of the noise from across the lake and also keeps away the geese that are a nuisance in other locations.

Most of the inhabitants in the area live there full-time, ensuring that residents always have something to do.

“It’s a year-round vacation spot,” Fish says.

An open house for 12 Evergreen Street in Southwick, Mass. is scheduled for Saturday, May 3 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information on the property, contact realtor Gordon A. Fish of D.W. Fish Real Estate at 860-871-1440, Ext. 142, or gaf623@aol.com.